Story From the Senate Chamber During Eminent Domain Override Vote
From the Daily Journal:
Sen. Eric Powell, D-Corinth, knows when he hears a good sermon the collection plate should be passed.
And that is what he did last week during debate in the Senate of Gov. Haley Barbour’s veto of legislation that would prevent private property from being taken for use by another private entity.
Sen. Lee Yancey, R_Brandon, a Baptist minister by training, told the 1 Kings 21 story of Naboth’s vineyard, which King Ahab wanted. Ahab offered to buy the vineyard, but Naboth refused to sell. Ahab’s wife, Jezebel, said he should have the vineyard if he wanted because he was king, and she got it for him.
It was a Bible story that was very much appropriate for the subject of the debate. The story also was cited earlier when the House considered the same issue.
As Yancey told the story, Powell, sitting in the back of the chamber, found a plate and started to pass it — as if a collection plate.
Asked later if he raised any money, he laughed and said, “No, but I could have if I had wanted to.”
Despite the Yancey story, the Senate upheld the governor’s veto. Powell voted with Yancey to protect Naboth’s vineyard.
